1. Field of the Invention
This inventions relates generally to switches for electric lighting systems in vehicles, and more particularly, to a switch that controls headlamps and fog lamps of a vehicle, with one or more automatic mode settings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current automotive styling trends toward decreasing vehicle size while increasing useable space in the passenger compartment have resulted in reduction of the available space behind the instrument panel. A further trend in modern vehicle design, however, is to increase the complexity of vehicle lighting packages by including, for example, fog lamps, driving lamps, daytime running lamps, and the like, as well as automatic modes of operation, such as variable or fixed shut-off delay periods. There is, therefore, a need for a vehicle lighting control switch that provides to the operator a simple arrangement by which headlamps, fog lamps, parking lights, running lights, and automatic on-off modes of operation can be controlled.
In addition to the foregoing, the prior art has not been able to achieve adequate compactness in view of the desired functionality. More specifically, there is a need for a compact switching arrangement that controls the headlamps and parking lights of a vehicle, provides for multiple automatic on-off modes of headlamp operation, and permits complete control over fog lamp operation while achieving preclusion of leaving the fog lamps in the xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d condition when the head lamp switch is placed in the xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d position.
One of the areas that contributes significantly to the bulkiness of conventional lighting switches is the translucent lighting bezel and the associated elements that propagate illumination light from a light source of the switch itself to a plurality of graphics on the instrument panel that identify the various positions of the lighting switch. In a known arrangement, a light guide is arranged to receive light from a source, the source light being propagated to graphical elements deposited on a sheet that overlies the switch and which is visible by the operator. This known arrangement results in reduced transmission of light through the graphic, which generally is light transmissive. Further, known arrangements are expensive to manufacture as the light guide is produced as a separate component from an applique on which the graphic is printed.
OBJECTS
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a compact switch that can be operated to control the headlamps, fog lamps, and parking lights of a vehicle, as well as at least one automatic mode of operation.
It is another object of this invention to provide a vehicle lighting switch that prevents the vehicle fog lamps from remaining illuminated when the switch is in the xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d position.
It is also an object of this invention to provide an electric switch for the lighting of vehicle wherein the added functionality of fog lamp control does not add any significant bulk to the electric switch.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a light transmissive bezel arrangement that illuminates appropriate graphic symbols that are visible to the operator without increasing the bulk of the switch.
It is additionally an object of this invention to provide a light transmissive bezel arrangement that distributes a high proportion of received light to predetermined portions of a graphical display region.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a light transmissive bezel arrangement that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an electric switch arrangement for the lighting system of vehicle a wherein there is provided an indication whether the fog lamp of the vehicle has been activated.
SUMMARY
The foregoing and other objects are achieved by this invention which provides, in accordance with a first apparatus aspect thereof, a vehicle switch arrangement for controlling delivery of electrical power to a plurality of vehicle lighting systems. In accordance with the invention, a first circuit contact system having a plurality of selectable control states is arranged to control delivery of electrical energy to corresponding ones of predetermined combinations of first and second vehicle lighting systems. A second circuit contact system having first and second selectable control states for controlling delivery of electrical energy to a specialized vehicle lighting system. There is additionally provided a manipulable switch control arrangement coupled to the first and second circuit contact systems for selecting the control states of the first and second circuit contact systems, the first circuit contact system being urged in a first direction of travel into the selectable control states, and the second circuit contact system being urged in a second direction of travel into the corresponding first and second selectable control states. A control state limiter arrangement limits the second circuit contact system to the first control state when the first circuit contact system is in a predetermined one of the plurality of corresponding selectable control states.
In one embodiment of the invention, the first direction of travel is rotational, and the second direction of travel is axial. The control state limiter arrangement comprises a cam that is positioned in predetermined relation to the predetermined one of the plurality of corresponding selectable control states of the first circuit contact system. In a highly practicable embodiment, the first control state of the second circuit contact system and the predetermined one of the plurality of corresponding selectable control states of the first circuit contact system correspond to respective xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d conditions for the correspondingly associated first and second vehicle lighting systems and the specialized vehicle lighting system. Such is particularly useful in an embodiment of the invention wherein the specialized vehicle lighting system is a vehicle fog lamp system.
In a further embodiment, there is provided an illuminated indicator system for providing visual indication of the selectable control states of the first circuit contact system. There additionally is provided a manipulation portion coupled to the manipulable switch control arrangement for facilitating operation of the vehicle switch arrangement by an operator. The illuminated indicator system is disposed intermediate of the manipulation portion and the manipulable switch control arrangement. In such an embodiment, a first source of illumination issues light, and is disposed so as to cause the light to be propagated through the illuminated indicator system. In a still further embodiment, there is further provided a further illuminated indicator system for providing visual indication of the selectable control states of the second circuit contact system. Thus, the present invention is particularly useful in the context of vehicle lighting systems of the type that employ fog lamp systems.
In a highly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the second circuit contact system includes a contact carrier arranged to be axially displaceable in response to the manipulable switch control arrangement and a first electrical contact element coupled to the contact carrier and arranged to be axially displaceable therewith. The contact carrier is disposed within a guideway that is useful to define the axial second direction of travel. Additionally, a second electrical contact element is coupled to the guideway for establishing an electrical connection with the first electrical contact element in response to the axial displacement of the contact carrier. A resilient biasing element is arranged within the guideway for urging the contact carrier axially within the guideway. However, an axial displacement limiter prevents the contact carrier from being expelled from the guideway in response to the urging by the resilient biasing element. In a practicable embodiment of the invention, the displacement limiter is provided with a stop protuberance extending laterally outward from a determined one of the contact carrier and the guideway. Additionally, there is provided a stop recess extending laterally inward into the other of the determined one of the contact carrier and the guideway. Preferably, the stop protuberance extends laterally outward from the contact carrier, and the stop recess is disposed in a corresponding wall of the guideway.
The first electrical contact is arranged, in a highly advantageous embodiment of the invention, to exert a resilient biasing force against the guideway in a direction that urges the stop protuberance and the stop recess into engagement. This ensures that the contact carrier will not disengage from the guideway, thereby facilitating assembly of the apparatus.
In accordance with a further apparatus aspect of the invention, there is provided a contact arrangement for an electrical switch arrangement. The contact arrangement is provided with a contact carrier that is arranged to be axially displaceable. A first electrical contact element is coupled to the contact carrier and is arranged to be axially displaceable therewith. Additionally, the guideway defines the axial second direction of travel, and a second electrical contact element is coupled to the guideway for establishing an electrical connection with the first electrical contact element in response to the axial displacement of the contact carrier.
In one embodiment that is particularly suited for controlling vehicle lighting, there is provided a rotary element for urging the contact carrier axially within the guideway. The rotary element is axially displaceable for effecting a corresponding axial displacement of the contact carrier in relation to the guideway.
In one embodiment that is particularly suited for controlling vehicle lighting, there is provided a rotatory element for urging the contact carrier axially within the guideway. The rotatory element is axially displaceable for effecting a corresponding axial displacement of the contact carrier in relation to the guideway.
In accordance with a still further apparatus aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle switch arrangement for controlling delivery of electrical power to a plurality of vehicle lighting systems. A first circuit contact system has a plurality of selectable control states for controlling delivery of electrical energy to corresponding ones of predetermined combinations of first and second vehicle lighting systems. A second circuit contact system is provided with first and second selectable control states for controlling delivery of electrical energy to a specialized vehicle lighting system, which may, in certain embodiments, be a vehicle fog lamp system. A switch control arrangement is coupled to the first and second circuit contact systems for selecting the control states of the first and second circuit contact systems. The first circuit contact system is urged in a first direction of travel into the selectable control states, and the second circuit contact system being urged in a second direction of travel into the corresponding first and second selectable control states. Additionally, a manipulable portion is coupled to the switch control arrangement for facilitating manipulation of the switch control arrangement by an operator. A control state limiter arrangement is provided to limit the second circuit contact system to the first control state when the first circuit contact system is in a predetermined one of the plurality of corresponding selectable control states. A first illuminated indicator system illuminates a visual indication of the selectable control states of the first circuit contact system, and a translucent light guide, that is disposed intermediate of the manipulable portion and the switch control arrangement, propagates therethrough a light issued by the first illuminated indicator system.
In one embodiment of this further aspect of the invention, there is provided a second illuminated indicator system for providing visual indication of the selectable control states of the second circuit contact system. The second illuminated indicator system issues a light that also is propagated through the translucent light guide.
In one embodiment, the first and second directions of travel are orthogonal to one another. As previously noted, a guideway limits displacement of the second circuit contact system to a predetermined axial path.